EU capitals agree on key element of planned asylum reforms

EU member states are ready to adopt a common position on asylum rules in crisis situations, overcoming a major hurdle, the Spanish EU presidency announced Wednesday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, reported dpa.

The issue had emerged as a stumbling bloc in broader EU efforts to overhaul the bloc's asylum system. Until member states adopted a common line, the European Parliament refused to continue negotiations on the overall reform package.

Wednesday's breakthrough has enabled member states to agree their stance on a new mechanism governing how an EU state can declare a crisis and trigger special crisis rules.

Several diplomats confirmed the beakthrough allowing negotiations with the parliament to resume - a key prerequisite for the reform package to be adopted.

At times of crisis, the provision allows for longer deadlines to register asylum applications at the EU's external borders and the possibility of lowering standards for accommodation and care.

Additionally asylum seekers could be obliged to stay in reception facilities near the border for longer than 12 weeks.

Germany in particular had raised concerns that this would unacceptably lower the standards of treatment for migrants.